The region's recycling centres are set to see changes to their rules under proposals approved this week by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).

Bolton's recycling centres on Hurstwood Court and Salford Road are affected as are the sites across all the other boroughs of Greater Manchester apart from Wigan.

In 2020, the GMCA introduced an access policy at the region's recycling centres to control the number of visits and the types of vehicles allowed at its sites, which are run by SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK. It introduced a permit scheme for vans a short time afterwards.

Now the access policy and permit scheme are up for review. Paul Morgan, head of commercial services for the GM Waste and Resources Team, presented the result of this review to the GM Waste and Recycling Committee this week.

Mr Morgan said: "This committee approved an access policy and, as a part of implementing the access policy, there were a number of changes.

"But time has passed since then and we have had a review based on the data and the experience at the site since implementing the access policy."

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The rules on the number of visits allowed at recycling centres are not changing. These remain at 52 visits a year for cars without trailers and cars with single-axle trailers, and 18 visits a year for cars with double axle-trailers and vans up to three and a half tonnes in weight.

But the rules on the types of vehicles allowed at recycling centres are changing with a ban on vans over three and a half tonnes in weight and other vehicles like cage tippers, tail-lift vehicles and transporter vehicles.

Mr Morgan said: "Over time it's become clear some people seem to think things like cage tippers, tail lift vehicles and transporter vehicles are household vehicles. We have a number of these coming through our sites. 

"Also we have a number of trailers which are 'homemade' because they have a single axle and can be longer than the ones with a double axle."

The GM Waste and Recycling Committee approved the recommendations although it was not revealed when the rules are coming into effect.

The Bolton News asked the GMCA for a comment.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.